Michael Goi, Kirk Ellis and Michael McCormick present at a day of workshops for White Sands International Film Festival

LAS CRUCES &GT;&GT; The people who make the film magic happen in some of our favorite movies and TV shows will share their knowledge during a day of workshops during the White Sands International Film Festival.

"It's a powerful mix of industry professionals and local interests," said David Salcido, WSIFF artistic director.

The workshops will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Creative Media Technology classrooms, auditorium and studio at the East Mesa campus of Doña Ana Community College, 2800 N. Sonoma Blvd. Space is limited and advance registration and ticket purchase is recommended. A ticket, at $20, good for all workshops is available at wsiff.com, also the source for passes and information on films and events at the festival, which runs from Sept. 3 through 7. The WSIFF VIP Platinum Pass, at $75, includes admission to all of the festival films at Cineport 10, VIP parties, awards ceremony and all of the workshops and seminars on Saturday. A $50 film pass ($25 for students and seniors) offers admission to all festival films at Cineport 10.

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In phone and online interviews, three workshop headliners discussed their careers and what they hope to share with WSIFF participants.

Michael Goi

Goi, former president and current member the American Society of Cinematographers, began his cinematography career in his native Chicago.

"I was shooting documentaries in Chicago. It segued into doing commercials for PBS. I got into the business because I wanted to do narrative filmmaking, to tell stories visually. Ultimately, that's what drove me to relocate to Los Angeles from Chicago," he said. "What I love about the documentary is that you have to be quick on your feet, and tell the story very quickly. My documentary experience prepared me for television. I still use it everyday."

Goi has a no-nonsense approach to cinematography. The key for getting the look he wants is the use of simple lighting, he said.

"There's not a lot of stuff involved in the process for me. A lot of what I like to do with 'American Horror Story' is based on techniques used in silent movies," he said.

For aspiring filmmakers, he has some sage advice to share at the workshop.

"No two people get into the business the exact same way. It's always a matter of making contacts and developing professional contacts. The old adage 'I got my last job at a party' is true. The other thing is that you really have to love the interview process. I love interviewing for jobs and a lot of people don't. The reality is: you don't have the job yet, so you have nothing to lose. I don't believe you can say the wrong thing. At the interview stage, they don't have a clear idea of what their movie or television show will look like yet. They're looking for someone to come in with a point of view. In an interview, I'm never concerned with telling people what I think they want to hear," said Goi, whose resumé includes more than 60 movie and TV credits.

He's received Emmy nominations for "Glee," "My Name Is Earl" and "American Horror Story: Asylum." He wrote and directed the feature film "Megan Is Missing" about Internet predators, and demonstrated lighting concepts for ice and snow to Disney animators for the film "Frozen."

"It's never a matter of who you know. It's who knows you that's important. When you call a producer, do they know who you are? It's a process of getting to meet people and getting access to professional sets, and working," he said, adding that a work-life balance is equally important.

"It's not all about creating the art you do; you have to survive and have a life in the process," he said

Michael McCormick

McCormick, who will talk about his work in iconic movie and TV projects, often works with a family member.

"I'll probably bring along my son, Sean, who is also in the business," said McCormick, a University of New Mexico graduate who has taught at NMSU's Creative Media Institute. He's currently based in Albuquerque.

"We'll have some surprises and it'll be a show-and-tell talk about the making of some of our projects," he said of the upcoming workshop, revealing that Salacious Crumb, a creature that served as court jester for Jabba the Hutt in the Star Wars classic, "Revenge of the Jedi" is among his favorite creations.

"It is a beloved collaboration. Of course, everything is a collaboration in the movies. That's how things work," he said.

He started his career as an artist.

"For years, I was a sculptor. How many successful sculptors are there in America? My son and I simply decided for all our needs, doing puppets was probably the most applicable use of our talents," he said. "We performed regionally in Santa Fe, Arizona and Texas. In the late 1970s, we were performing in Santa Fe and were discovered by Roger Miller, who spotted us and gave us an introduction to Jim Henson. I had an interview with Jim in London and was hired the same day."

He attributes his success to discipline, coincidence and luck all falling into place at the right time. These days, McCormick is returning to his fine art roots and also developing some independent projects.

His work will be featured in an Outsider Art exhibit opening this fall at Harwood Museum in Taos.

"I love to write and I'm developing a project about Lilith, the first wife of Adam," McCormick said.

Kirk Ellis

Ellis' honors include numerous EMMYs and four Golden Globe Awards. He also garnered honors for his miniseries "Anne Frank" and "Into the West," a collaborative project with Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks. He has worked with directors Francis Ford Coppola, Roland Joffe and William Friedkin.

"I learned the writing trade as a reporter — back in the day when we still had typewriters," Ellis said in a telephone interview. "Working as a journalist taught me two important skills: discipline and the ability to meet a deadline. It also taught me the importance of structure and clarity in any form of storytelling. With the decline of real reporting in favor of blogging, that option is now closed. But a writer must write, not just when he or she feels like it, but every day, in some form."

He started as a film critic for The Hollywood Reporter, and at age 24 became the magazine's international editor. In 1992, he formed Shadow Catcher Productions, developing his own indie features and documentaries.

"There is no better way to learn a trade than by doing it, and the explosion of social media and easy-to-access technology in many way makes it easier for aspiring filmmakers to leave their calling card than in the days when I came up through the ranks. If you've got the resources, make your movie. On your iPhone, your digital camera, whatever may be at hand. The equipment doesn't matter. What does matter is the ability to tell a story clearly and with some degree of originality," Ellis said.

He's proud of his work on "John Adams," which, he notes, "is the one everyone knows, and still watches. But as with so many writers, some of my best work people will probably never see — those scripts that didn't make it to term. I wrote an adaptation of James Ellroy's 'American Tabloid' as a miniseries for HBO that I still consider the best thing I've done. Never got made, but every time we send out those scripts as samples, an offer to write something is forthcoming."

He has several current projects in the works, including the bilingual feature "El Democrata," based on the life of Mexican Revolutionary hero Francisco Madero, a biography of the Marquis de Lafayette for director Jean-Francois Richet and for TV, "The Day the Laughter Stopped," about the Fatty Arbuckle trials of the 1920s, and "Sneaker Wars," a series for FX about the feuding family behind the Adidas and Puma name brands.

His first video game will be released next February by Sony Playstation.

"I found it to be quite a liberating exercise. The game is called 'The Order: 1886.' If you can imagine the Knights of the Round Table transposed to a futuristic Victorian London, you'll have some idea of the arena. The technology is super-cutting-edge. It's going to blow people away," Ellis said.

S. Derrickson Moore may be reached at 575-541-5450. Tracy Roy contributed to this story.

The White Sands International Film Festival workshops will take place between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 6 at the East Mesa campus of Doña Ana Community College, 2800 N. Sonoma Blvd. Cost is $20 for all workshops, but admission is included in the $75 WSIFF VIP Platinum Pass.

•"Telling a Good Screen Story — It's Harder Than You Think": Writer/producer Kirk Ellis will present from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on screen storytelling, utilizing clips from both feature films and television programs to illustrate the art of structure and character building.

•"Visual Effects as Seen in 'Labyrinth' and 'Dark Crystal,'": Special effects expert and puppeteer Mike McCormick will present from noon to 1:30 p.m. on radio control vs. wire control puppetry, creature fabrication, costuming, breaking into the business.

•"Creating the Look of 'American Horror Story": Cinematographer Michael Goi will present from 2 to 4 p.m. on artistic techniques and concepts, cinematography in movies and television and tips on how to get started and build a career.

•"Creating the Right Kind of Filmmaking Workforce": Noon to 1 p.m., Jon Hendry and members of IATSE 480, a labor union representing technicians, artisans and craftspersons in the entertainment industry, discuss readiness and the importance of union presence in all craft areas (catering, drivers, props, hair, wardrobe, construction, etc.)

•"Chilewood — Why the Film Industry is Profitable For All": 1 to 2 p.m. by members of the Regional Film Development Advisory Council, including State Rep. Jeff Steinborn, Creative Media Institute professor and filmmaker Rajeev Nirmalakhandan, CMI professor and documentarian Phil Lewis, industry veteran and former film liaison Bill McCamey and actor, educator and filmmaker Mark Vasconcellos.

•"Special makeup effects": Creative Media Institute graduate Timothy Sedillo will present from 10 a.m. to noon on the use of special makeup effects, along with "blood recipes" and other practical tips for creating makeup and special effects on any budget.

Info and tickets: For a complete roster of festival films, venues, parties and special events, tickets, information and passes, visit wsiff.com. The WSIFF VIP Platinum Pass, at $75, includes admission to all of the festival films at Cineport 10, parties and awards and all of the Sept. 6 workshops and seminars. A $50 film pass ($25 for students and seniors) offers admission to all festival films at Cineport 10.